1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to spread spectrum code division multiple access (CDMA) communication systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method that determines the geographic location of a subscriber unit within a CDMA communication system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wireless systems capable of locating a subscriber are presently known in the art. One wireless technique uses the global positioning system (GPS). In GPS, the communication handset receives data transmitted continuously from the 24 NAVSTAR satellites. Each satellite transmits data indicating the satellite""s identity, the location of the satellite and the time the message was sent. The handset compares the time each signal was received with the time it was sent to determine the distance to each satellite. Using the determined distances between the satellites and the handset along with the location of each satellite, the handset can triangulate its location and provide the information to a communication base station. However, the incorporation of a GPS within a subscriber unit increases its cost.
Another subscriber location technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,354. A mobile telephone using time division multiple access (TDMA) as the air interface is located within a plurality of base stations. The mobile telephone measures the received signal strength from each of the base stations and transmits each strength to each respective base station. At a mobile switching center, the received signal strengths from the base stations are compared and processed. The result yields the distance between the mobile telephone and each base station. From these distances, the location of the mobile telephone is calculated.
Wireless communication systems using spread spectrum modulation techniques are increasing in popularity. In code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, data is transmitted using a wide bandwidth (spread spectrum) by modulating the data with a pseudo random chip code sequence. The advantage gained is that CDMA systems are more resistant to signal distortion and interfering frequencies in the transmission path than communication systems using the more common time division multiple access (TDMA) or frequency division multiple access (FDMA) techniques.
There exists a need for an accurate mobile subscriber unit location system that uses data already available in an existing CDMA communication system.
The invention determines the geographic location of a subscriber unit within a CDMA communication system. At least one base station transmits a spread spectrum signal with a chip code sequence unique to that base station. A subscriber unit receives the base station signal and transmits a spread spectrum signal with a unique chip code sequence time synchronized with the chip code sequence of the received base station signal. The base station receives the subscriber unit signal and compares the chip code sequence of the received subscriber unit signal with the chip code sequence signal transmitted by the base station to determine the location of the subscriber unit.